Abstract
Epstein has suggested that normal brain development is characterized by spurts and plateaus. In mice, these spurts seem to appear at 0-6, 8-12 or 13, and 17-23 days, and plateaus appear at 6-8,12-17, and after 23 days of age. Results have demonstrated enhanced learning in a spurt (11 and 19 days of age) and a decrement in learning at a plateau (15 days of age), using an active avoidance task to measure learning in Fuller BWS high and low brain-weight lines. We tested Fuller BWS high- and low-line mice in a passive avoidance task at 11,15, and 19 days of age. Mice were also tested at 12 days of age, since a recent study found that 12-day-old mice are in a plateau rather than a spurt, as previously reported. As high activity levels may conflict with the response made, activity levels were also measured on the day of testing. The results revealed an age effect and an Age by Line interaction, but no line effect: Mice at 11 and 19 days of age (spurts) differed significantly from mice 15 and 12 days of age (plateaus). Activity was not found to be a confounding measure.
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Lavooy, M.J., Lavooy, J., Hahn, M.E. et al. Passive avoidance during brain-growth spurts and plateaus. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 17, 153–155 (1981). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333696
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333696